Drawer-lock for desks.



:No. 858,896. PATENTED JULY 2, .1907.

' I. MODOWELL, Sn.

DRAWERLOGK FOR DESKSi V APPLIOATION FILED ArB.s.19o7.

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JOHN MCDOWELL, SR,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DRAWER-LOCK FOR DESKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Ju1y 2, 1907.

Application filed April 3,1907. Serial No. 366.158.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN MCDOWELL, Sr., acitizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York,borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinvented a new and Improved Drawer-Lock for Desks, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in mechanism for lockingthe drawers of a desk,- cabinet or other piece of furniture in theirclosed position, and

relates more particularly to locking means adapted to be operated by aroller top or other movable section of the piece of furniture, andserving to engage with each of the drawers to prevent the openingthereof while the roller top or other movable section is closed.

The invention also relates to certain improvements in the supporting andguiding means for the locking member, whereby it is prevented frombinding or otherwise failing to operate due to warping, swelling, orother causes.

The invention consists in certain features of construction andcombination of parts, all of which will be fully set forth hereinafterand particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the Views, and in which Figure 1 is an endelevation of a roller top desk, a portion thereof being broken away toshow the construction and operation of my improved mechanism; Fig. 2 isa front elevation of the locking member; and Fig. 3 is a transversesection on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

To clearly disclose the construction and operation of my device I haveillustrated it in connection with a desk 10 having a roller top 11,although it is evident that the device may be used in connectionwith anycabinet or other article of furniturehaving a plurality of slidingshelves or drawers and having a movable door or other section. Theroller top desk illustrated in the drawings is provided with a pluralityof drawers 12, the rear ends of which terminate adjacent the back wall13 of the desk, and intermediate thisback wall 13 and the ends of thedrawers is provided my improved locking mechanism. This mechanismpreferably comprises a longitudinally movable rod or bar 14 havingcatches 15 on the front side thereof adapted to engage with similar butoppositely disposed catches 16 carried by the drawers, and soconstructed that when the rod is raised longitudinally the catches 15engage with the catches 16 and prevent any of the drawers from beingopened, while by moving the rod 14 downward longitudinally the catchesare caused to disengage and the opening of the drawers is permitted. Thedesk is so constructed that when the roller top 11 is in the openposition illustrated in Fig. 1, the rear edge thereof descends adjacentthe back wall 13 of the desk, and the rod or bar 14 is of such a lengthand so disposed that it is engaged by this roller top when the latter isin its open position. As shown, the roller top engages with the end ofthe rod 14 and pushes said rod downward to disengage the coactingcatches of said rod and the drawers. The rod or bar 14 is normallysupported in its uppermost position by means of a suitable spring 17engaging with a lug or projection 18 on the rod, and the upper end ofthe'rod is preferably provided with a metal bearing plate adapted toengage with the roller top 11 when the latter is in its open position.For supporting and guiding the rod 14, I provide a plurality oftransverse bars 20, each having a rectangular recess 21 therein of theproper size and shape to receive the longitudinally movable rod 14.

To construct the desk in the most economical manner, it is founddesirable to manufacture the longitudinally movable rod 14 and thesupporting'and guiding bars 20 of wood, and it is also desirable thatthe longitudinally movable rod 14 be held against lateral move ment soas to prevent rattling or accidental displace ment of the parts. As thewood is liable to swell due to climatic changes, and is also liable towarp, I so construct the guiding and supporting members as to permit ofa ready adjustment of the parts to accommodate for any changes in thesize and shape of the longitudidally movable rod 14. Preferably eachsupporting bar is provided with a movable section 22 in engagement withone side of the rod 14, and this section is so secured to the remainingportion that its position may be adjusted in relation thereto.Preferably each movable section 22 is provided with elongated slots 23,and extending through these slots 1 provide a plurality of screws 24. Byloosening the screws, each movable section 22 may be so adjusted as tomake the corresponding recess 21 as wide or as narrow as may be desired,and the proper engagement of the locking bar 14 with the supporting andguiding members may thus be readily secured.

For holding the locking bar within the recesses, I provide a pluralityof metal strips 25 so connected to the supporting and guiding bars 20that they may be very readily moved aside to permit of the completeremoval of the locking bar should it be found necessary to repair thelatter or replace it by a new one or plane it down to improve theoperation thereof. These metal strips may be secured in place in avariety of ways, as, for instance, by pivotally connecting one end andholding the opposite end behind a catch 26, as illustrated at the upperend of the bar 14; or each strip may be provided with a slot 27 throughwhich the pivotal screw extends and also provided with a recess 28extending into the opposite end and adapted to engage with a secondscrew 29, as illustrated at the intermediate and lower portions of thebar. In the latter case, by loosening one of the screws the strip 25 maybe moved longitudinally until the recess 28 no longer engages with thescrew 29 and the strip may then be moved upon the opposite screw asapivot to disengage said strip from contact with the front of the lockingbar 14.

By means of the mechanism above described, I hold the drawers in theirlocked position until the roller top is opened to the fullest extent andengages with the end of the bar 14 to move the same. The locking bar maybe very readilyadjusted or may be readily removed without necessitatingthe partial disassembling oi the entire piece of furniture. All that isnecessary to secure the removal of the locking bar is to withdraw theseveral drawers 12 and move aside the several strips 25. The guides ofthe locking bar may be adjusted to any desired extent without removingsaid guides or the locking bar supported thereby.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. A piece of furniture, comprising a case, a plurality of drawerscontained therein, and means for locking said drawers in their closedposition, said means comprising a longitudinally movable rod, meansoperatively connected thereto for engaging with said drawers, andadjustable guiding means for said rod.

2. In combination with a suitable case having a plurality of drawerslocated therein and having a movable sec tion, of a longitudinallymovable locking bar adapted to be engaged by said movable section whenthe latter is in its open position, means carried by said bar forengaging with said drawers to hold the latter in their closed position,and adjustable supporting and guiding means for said bar.

3. In combination with a suitable ease having a plurality of drawerslocated therein and having a movable sertien, of a longitudinallymovable locking bar adapted to be engaged by said movable section whenthe iaiier is in its open position, means carried by said bar forengaging with said drawers to hold the latter in their closed position,and adjustable supporting and guiding means for said bar, said meanscomprising a plurality of transverse bars each having a, recess therein,a laterally adjustable section adjacent one 01' id recesses, and pivotedmeans adapted to hold said locking bar within said recesses.

4. In combination with a suitable casc having a drawer therein, alongitudinally-movable locking bur adapted to engage with said drawer tohold the same in its closed position, and adjustable supporting andguiding means for said rodfsaid means including a transverse bar having:1 recess therein, a laterally adjustable section adjacent said recess,and means adapted to hold said l0cking bar within said recess.

5. In combination with a suitable case having a drawer located therein,a longitudinallyanovablc locking bar adapted to engage with said drawerfor holding the latter in its closed position, and adjustable supportingand guiding means for said bar, including a member having a recesstherein through which said locking bar extends, and means for adjustingthe size of said recess to fit said bar.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

.lOllN MClJOlVlCLL, Sn.

Witnesses JOHN P. DAVIS, CLAIR W. lrrinmimic.

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